Lovebirds are one of the most favorite bird species kept as pets around the world. They are incredibly beautiful and very active birds. Anyone who visits a pet store is in awe of its beauty and charm. There are very few problems that lovebirds create for their owners or caretakers during their life. They are generally good breeders and can breed well in all conditions in a very short time.
A big problem that bird breeders face with lovebirds is the problem of eye infection. When you buy a new lovebird and bring it home, sometimes you see that its eyes get infected after a few days. This problem can be life-threatening for your lovebirds and a major headache for bird keepers. But there are ways to overcome this problem without much difficulty.
Eye infection disease is more common in summer in countries like Pakistan in the months of April, May, June and July. In these months, the temperature usually exceeds 40 degrees Celsius. Young birds are most affected by this disease and especially when you buy some new birds and bring them home on these hot summer days. Without proper treatment, your birds will eventually die.
Different people give different reasons for the cause of this problem. Some will say that Karachi birds bought in Punjab carry the virus with them. Others will say that due to the climate difference between Karachi and Lahore it causes birds to develop this eye infection. Some people argue that mosquito bites are the cause of this disease. The more people you meet, the more opinions you will get.
I have done a lot of research on this particular disease. Now I realize that, above all others, stress is the leading cause of eye infection in lovebirds. Lovebirds are more shy birds and when you change places or cage they get stressed and get sick. Due to stress, your immune system weakens and due to hot weather conditions and the change of environment, your eyes become infected.
If you bought some new birds at home or moved some lovebird chicks to a separate cage, give them a stress-free environment to relax. Place the bird cage in a place where there is less disturbance to the birds. Don’t go near the cage too often. Keep the bird cage away from other pets in the home, such as cats and dogs. Cover the cage at night so they can get a good night’s sleep and get plenty of rest.
If some of your birds have developed this infection, try treatment as soon as possible. Eye infection in its early stages is easy to cure. Catch your bird with a net and put some eye drops on it. I would recommend dexamethasone phosphate and chloramphenicol in them. Apply one drop to each eye at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
Some lovebirds recover quickly from this treatment, while others take much longer. Continue treatment until your lovebirds fully recover from the eye infection. Also place a nest box inside the cage to reduce its overall stress level. Birds that are less stressed recover quickly from this disease. Do not change the place of the cage too much and give them more privacy and security so that they live a healthy and happy life.